1 and a half months early
by 5MinuteMiracles
Summary: One-Shot of the time when Albus Potter was born. Though his parents are worrying because he was born 1 1/2 months early. R&R.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Sob Sob. I only own the storyline!**

Harry stormed into the house at 6:45pm and flung of his cloak. He huffed past the living room where 7 ½ month pregnant Ginny was playing with 2-year-old James. Ginny looked up when she heard Harry enter and was shocked to see his state.

"Harry, is everything OK?" She asked bewildered as he stormed up the stairs and slammed the door to their bedroom. James was pulling out multiple toys from the toy box and was babbling away to his toy dragon. Ginny swiftly picked him up and quietly went up the stairs. She knocked on the door and spoke through it.

"Harry, what's up? Bad day at work?" She said gently. She heard Harry huff, but he didn't answer. She decided to leave it for now; he would talk when he's ready. She went back down and stood James on the sofa.

"Right James, what do you want for Dinner? What does Daddy want?" She asked him.

"Tweacle tart" James giggled. Ginny grinned. Even James knew his Dad's love for the dessert.

"Yes, that's pudding, but what's for the main bit?"

James thought for a moment before answering, "pasta" He said finally.

Ginny nodded and let James jump of the sofa. He landed cleverly but then tripped over his own feet. Ginny laughed as she picked him up and helped him up. She felt a slight nudge to her stomach as the second baby boy inside her kicked his Mum. She rubbed the spot to calm him down and then proceeded to cook some pasta for dinner.

After 10 minutes preparing the pasta, Ginny called James through. He hopped into the dining room and clambered onto a chair at the end. He attempted to feed himself before Ginny had to rescue several pieces of pasta flying around the room. James started to wail because the pasta had gone, and Ginny had taken the bowl away and she was really starting to wonder where Harry was.

"James please be quiet" Ginny pleaded after a long 5 minutes, trying to convince him that he could have his treacle tart. James was still wailing when Harry walked down the stairs.

"Harry, you alright?" Ginny said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Kingsley wants me to go on a mission. Not now. Not when your pregnant Gin." He sighed before sitting next to James. "Hey buddy. Stop crying for Mum yeah? I heard you have treacle tart on the way!"

James nodded his head and grinned sheepishly at his Dad with his hazel eyes. He yawned before slapping his hands on the table.

"Mummy! Look Daddy can have his tweacle tart!" James squealed excitedly and leapt onto his Dad's lap. Harry kissed the top of his black hair and started to eat his pasta. Every now and again, James would steal a piece of pasta of the plate and gobble it up. Harry pretended not to notice as his head was focused on the upcoming report he had to make and about telling Kingsley about the mission and his second son that was coming into the world in 1 ½ months' time. It was a stressful part of the year. And he had Christmas to worry about too.

Ginny sat down beside him and leant her head on his shoulder. Harry wrapped an arm around her and placed them on her belly. He was rewarded with a slight kick against his palm.

That night, when James' hands were washed clean of the sticky treacle he got on them, and he was tucked into bed, Harry's worries started to creep up on him.

Ginny was propped up on the bed, holding a prophet and her eyes following the movements of her pacing husband.

"Harry, please relax, it makes me tense when you panic" Ginny said as Harry strode up and down the room with a quill in his hand, thinking what to write to Kingsley.

"Gin, I'm not panicking, I'm thinking" Said Harry quickly. He resumed his pacing and looked out the window in search of ones of their owls; they were presumably both out hunting.

"Harry, you are panicking, and you are making me tense so please just stop worrying and come to bed" She glanced at the nearby clock. "Its 11pm, get some sleep"

Harry glared at her, "I need to finish this Ginny, I just need an owl to come back". He tapped the wall impatiently.

"Plus, _you_ don't want me to go on the mission anyway" He remarked. "Gin?" he said when he didn't get a reply. He spun around and saw Ginny on the bed, eyes closed and both hands on the baby bump.

"Ginny what's up?" He said. No reply. He dashed over to her and brushed her temple. She opened her eyes and said quietly,

"Harry, get James. My waters just broke."

Harry automatically placed his hand on the place where his son was forming and felt a small amount of movement from within. Harry looked at Ginny bewildered, and Ginny looked back at him, just as shocked.

"But he shouldn't come for another 1 ½ months" whispered Harry. Ginny just stared blankly back. She was pale and sweaty.

"Seems like Albus wants to make his appearance known soon" She whispered back, "Now go get James, careful not to wake him up though."

Harry nodded and ran out the door towards James' room. He summoned a bag and placed a few clothes, toys, and blankets, ready to drop of James at his Grandma's house. He then carefully swaddled James up and carried him into his parent bedroom, where Ginny was laying down, eyes closed again. A handsome tawny owl was standing by the window now and Harry realised he needed to send a note to Molly. He laid James next to Ginny and grabbed the quill he had dropped only minutes ago.

"Swoops I need to you to send this not to Molly. Don't wait for her to write one back. Tap on the window until she's awake and then fly back here. Then I know she's up and ready to take James." Harry spluttered as he scribbled a note.

 _Molly,_

 _Ginny's waters just broke._

 _We are going to St Mungo's soon._

 _James is asleep and has clean clothes, toys, and blankets_

 _For the rest of the night._

 _We will owl you once Albus is born. Hopefully it won't_

 _Last too long._

 _Harry_

Harry handed it to Swoops who grabbed it in his beak and flew off into the distance. Harry turned back to Ginny who had winced. _This is happening to fast_ though Harry. He put his hand on her belly again, this time feeling no movement. Ginny turned to look at him and whispered in his ear, "Get the bag full of clothes, and grab us some clean clothes as well."

Harry nodded and turned to grab some of Albus' chosen baby clothes. He reckoned he would need to shrink them down a bit. He also went into the wardrobe and got some comfy things to wear, and some for Ginny. He undressed and got himself into the clothes and magickly put some on Ginny. She looked much more comfortable.

Just then, Swoops flew into the room and that indicated to Harry that Molly was awake.

"Gin," he whispered softly, "Your Mum's awake. I can drop him off and then come straight back here to floo us to St. Mungo's. Ginny looked up and nodded. Harry picked up his sleeping child and grabbed his bag before turning on the spot; apperating to The Burrow.

The breeze was cold as Harry strode across the yard to meet Molly Weasley by the door.

"Good gracious Harry!" He breathed as he approached, "The baby isn't due until the end of next month! Tell him from me when he's born that he's a tad impatient!" she joked, clearing Harry's mind from all the terrible outcomes from a premature birth. He handed her a shivering James before kissing him goodbye.

"Be good for Grandma James buddy. When you next see Mummy and Daddy, you will have a little brother!" Harry murmured into James hair.

"I love you" whispered James into his Dads ear. Harry smiled before thanking his mother-in-law. He waved farewell and disapperated.

When he arrived home, Ginny was still laying in the bed, however her eyes were wide open, and she was looking into nothingness. Harry gave her a swift kiss and then helped her up from the bed. He noticed how small her bump was compared to when she was in labor with James. The bag of baby clothes swung by his left, he and Ginny walked into the fireplace and harry said 'St. Mungo's!' before they were gone in a twirl of green smoke.

Ginny grabbed Harry's arm to balance as the couple stepped into the quiet hospital. The receptionist had looked up when the sound of someone flooing filled the quiet room. He almost yelped when she saw it was Harry Potter supporting his pregnant wife. She ran around the desk and spoke to Harry calmly.

"Mr Potter. What room are you requesting?" she said.

"We have a private room on level 6" He gasped, out of breath. "We need midwife healers on hand. This baby is coming out 1 ½ month too early!"

The receptionist nodded and sent them to the 6th floor by magic. Harry opened the private ward door and set Ginny in the bed set in the middle. Harry sat on the edge, holding Ginny's hand and a midwife (one they trusted and had hired to help) entered waving her wand over lots of paperwork and sheets. She smiled as she set down the multiple sheets and tapped a screen.

"Ginny, how long ago did your waters break? The baby is making a fast appearance. I'd say in a couple of hours you could have lift-off!" said Healer Foster ran a couple more tests as she said this.

"I'd say about 30 minutes ago" Ginny breathed. Harry kissed her forehead. This birth was going to be quick. Harry was thankful because she wouldn't want her worrying for too long.

Every few minutes or so, Ginny would wince painfully, and Harry clasped her hand tightly. Time seemed to be taking forever. Harry had already filled out paperwork and the questions that had been bothering him were answered. Harry's worries were soon distinguished and were filled with excitement. He was going to have 2 boys! He could once again have the experience of a brand-new baby held in his arms. Harry couldn't wait to meet the baby they had named Albus Severus Potter.

After 1 hour of solid waiting, Healer Foster came in and spoke to Ginny softly. Ginny nodded, and Harry knew it was time.

Ginny started to push, and Harry's heart was racing. Emotions were flooding through him in crazy wafts and he couldn't keep it all in. 10 minutes fluttered away, and the private rooms sweaty, cramped feeling was brought to a sudden halt as Baby Albus' soft cries filled Harry's and Ginny's ears. Harry leapt over and cut the chord using a severing charm, something the previous midwife had told Harry too do when James was born. Harry looked at his new baby boy and started to cry. He always got emotional at things like this. He realised when James was born why family was such a special thing and he loved every feature that made up Albus' delicate body.

Healer Foster weighed Albus and stated that he only weighed 3.5lbs.

"Wow that's half of James" laughed Harry, amidst tears. Albus was cleaned up and placed in Ginny's waiting arms where she cuddled and kissed the tiny baby. Harry got some of the baby clothes out and shrank them down a size. Ginny put on the tiny baby-suit and swaddled him in a dark blue blanket. Ginny was still staring at him when she spoke,

"Harry, he looks so much like you!"

Harry looked down and noticed that she was right. Albus did look like him. A lot. It looked like Albus had inherited every feature of his Dad, everyone except his lips. Which were closed in a Ginny-like way. Albus yawned and blinked into the bright room. His eyes were the same blue of all new babies but didn't look like the James sort of blue when he was born. It was a brighter, paler blue.

"Looks like he's going to have green eyes too" whispered Ginny, smirking at Harry.

"Well at least no one can say to him, 'you look so much like you father Albus, except your eyes, you've got your mothers eyes'" Harry laughed.

"People already say that about James, so I don't know what you're on about" giggled Ginny.

Harry laughed as he got up and requested to borrow a hospital owl. He wrote a note to Molly to tell them about the arrival of Albus.

 _Molly,_

 _He's here! He was born at 12:44 on the 11_ _th_ _December!_

 _He only weighs 3.5lbs but is doing well!_

 _You can bring yourself, Arthur, and James round now, or you can_

 _Wait until the morning. It's still very late._

 _Lots of love_

 _Harry and Ginny xx_

Harry looked at the letter before giving it to the hospital owl, who fluttered off towards the Burrow. He made his way up to the 6th floor again and picked up a drink on the way. When he entered the room, Ginny was feeding Albus and reading a copy the previous ' _Evening Prophet'_ propped up on her legs. She looked up when Harry walked in and then continued to read, whilst talking to him.

"Just wait until the news gets out that a new Potter baby has found his way into the Wizarding community. Front pages everywhere. Remember when James was born? We walked out of St. Mungo's and were flashed at by a thousand reporters. Poor James was front page news before he even got home." Ginny murmured. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Well Gin, I did defeat The Greatest Dark Wizard of all time when I was 17, and you did break the female chaser award when you were 20 so I suppose we have to deal with it." Harry said.

There was a sudden rat tat tat at the door and Harry stood up to let whoever it was, in. It was Molly. She embraced her son-in-law crying hysterically and then went over to kiss her daughter.

"Ginny you did so well!" She sobbed, "delivering a baby in under 2 hours!"

"Mum, don't cry it's a good thing!" said Ginny, now rocking baby Albus in her arms.

Other voices filled the room behind Harry and he turned to see the whole Weasley party standing there holding gifts and clothes for Albus.

"surprise!" They all whispered laughing. Hermione, 4 months pregnant, hugged Harry whilst Ron patted him on the back.

"He's a small one isn't he Harry?" Said Ron as Albus was passed between his loving family.

"Well, Ron, you would be small If you decided to exit 2 months too early" sighed Harry.

James, still sleepy, hugged his Daddy with big force.

"Woah there James! By your big hug it would seem I hadn't seen you in ages!" Harry laughed. James just hung tighter.

"Can I see baby?" he yawned.

"Albus, his name is Albus. And you can see him whenever you like! He's your little brother! You can teach him things likes Quidditch and playing with toys!" Harry told James. Albus was placed into Harry's arms by Arthur and Harry knelt down so James could see him better. James traced Albus' little features with a small finger and then kissed his forehead. This was rewarded by multiple Awws from family members alike.

After hours of meeting the family, Molly shooed them all out so Harry, Ginny, James, and Albus could get some sleep. Molly kissed her grandchildren on the head before waving them goodbye. Harry lay back in the big hospital chair and pulled James on top of himself. He kissed Ginny's hand before placing Albus in a Moses' basket next to her.

Soon, James' soft snores filled the room as the family fell asleep, but outside, the reporters were only just hearing rumours of a new baby.


End file.
